Is it permissible to speak while eating?

There is nothing in the Sunnah of the Prophet that prohibits speaking during a meal, and the saying "no greetings and no talking over food" has no basis. Rather, it is authentically reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he spoke while eating, such as in the hadith "I am the master of people on the Day of Resurrection" while he was eating a foreleg, and the hadith "Vinegar is an excellent condiment." Imam An-Nawawi mentioned that it is desirable to converse during a meal to entertain those eating, and that this is part of perfect hospitality and generosity. Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "He (the Prophet) used to converse during his meal." Speaking during a meal is like any other speech: good speech is good, and bad speech is bad.